BRAMPTON — Ontario is investing $15 million over two years to expand seniors’ access to long-term care services while they remain in their own homes, as part of a new program the province says will improve quality of life and ease strain on hospitals.
The initiative, called the Community Access to Long-Term Care (CALTC) program, was announced Thursday at the Seniors Health and Wellness Village at Peel Manor in Brampton. The pilot project will enable people on the long-term care waitlist—or those soon to be eligible—to access services such as clinical care, nursing support, dementia resources, and wound care without moving into a facility.
“Our government is protecting our long-term care system with targeted investments that ensure people get the right care in the right place,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “By giving seniors access to more services while living safely at home, the Community Access to Long-Term Care program will improve seniors’ quality of life, support caregivers, reduce avoidable hospital visits and delay the need for live-in long-term care.”
Pilot Program in the GTA
The CALTC program is being launched in partnership with three long-term care homes in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area: Peel Manor’s Seniors Health and Wellness Village in Brampton, Partners Community Health’s Integrated Seniors’ Hub at Wellbrook Place in Mississauga, and St. Joseph’s Villa Dundas.
Participants will be able to contact the homes directly to access services. The province plans to expand the program in 2026 to additional sites, with a focus on rural and northern communities where seniors often face limited access to care.
Officials say the program is designed to meet the needs of Ontario’s fastest-growing demographic. Seniors—defined as people age 65 and older—are expected to account for an increasing share of the population in the coming decades.
Part of a Broader Strategy
The new program builds on the Ford government’s broader plan to “fix long-term care,” which is centred on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern and comfortable homes; and improving access to services for seniors living in the community.
Earlier this summer, Ontario committed $89 million to make the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care (CPLTC) program permanent and to expand it into First Nations communities. The province is also in the process of building 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across Ontario and has invested up to $4.9 billion between 2021 and 2025 to hire thousands of new personal support workers, nurses, and allied health professionals.
The government has also introduced financial incentives of up to $35,400 for PSW students and eligible workers to encourage careers in long-term care and home and community care.
Community Leaders Respond
Local representatives and health sector leaders framed the CALTC program as a timely response to demographic pressures, particularly in Peel Region.
“This investment in the Community Access to Long-Term Care program will make a real difference for seniors and families in our community,” said Amarjot Sandhu, MPP for Brampton West. “With Peel Manor’s Seniors Health and Wellness Village serving as one of the first sites, seniors in Brampton will have better access to the supports they need from clinical and nursing services to personal care while continuing to live safely at home.”
Nando Iannicca, Chair and CEO of Peel Region, said the initiative aligns with the community’s needs as its population ages. “By 2041, one in five Peel residents will be over the age of 65, which will mean that more people in our community will be living with dementia,” he said. “The Seniors Health and Wellness Village at Peel Manor will support the diverse needs of this population with emotion-based care in long term care, as well as seniors and caregivers living in their own homes.”
Health providers also welcomed the announcement. Tess Romain, President and CEO of Partners Community Health, said: “At Partners Community Health, we are committed to helping seniors live healthy, fulfilling lives in the place they call home. As a trusted partner in building a connected system of care, we are proud to be included in the Community Access to Long-Term Care program.”
John Woods, Integrated President of St. Joseph’s Villa Dundas, St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph, and St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre Brantford, added: “At St. Joseph’s Villa Dundas, we have a long tradition serving our community with high-quality, compassionate care. Through the Community Access to Long-Term Care program, we are supporting healthy aging in place for seniors and their families and creating new health and social care options for seniors that are tailored to where they are in their care journey.”
Looking Ahead
The government says CALTC will not only delay the need for live-in long-term care but also relieve pressure on hospitals by reducing preventable admissions. Officials argue that supporting seniors in their homes is both cost-effective and aligned with the preferences of most Ontarians.
With pilot programs now underway in Brampton, Mississauga, and Dundas, the province plans to monitor outcomes before expanding the model to other regions. If successful, the program could reshape how long-term care services are delivered in Ontario, offering a more flexible approach to aging in place.
